Plug and socket



H. B. JONES 2,235,155

PLUG AND SOCKET Filed Dec. '18, 1939 J3 J2 17 a INVENTOR.

%H0wczrd B. JED/Z66, BY 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE me ANDSSOCKETYI 7 Howard B. Jones, Evanston, Ill.

Application December 18, 1939, Serial No. 309,765

2 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical appliances and particularly to a novel plug and socket adapted for high voltage transmission, and provided withnovel means for engaging and holding the respective contact pieces.

An object of my invention is to provide a heavy duty plug and socket constructed to minimize leakage across terminals. Further, to provide a construction in which the contact pieces are securely and permanently held in operative relation and in which such contact pieces may be removed and renewed, if desired, by a very simple operation.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing; in

which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a plug and socket constructed in accordance with my invention, the parts being in contact relation;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view partly broken away to show the construction of the contact piece forming a part of the plug;

Fig. 4 is a separated view of the parts as shown.

' openings being contracted at the end adjacent to the plug to a size only slightly greater than that of the contact piece of the plug that is intended to enter the socket. At each side of the main body portion of the base the material is cut 35 out, as at 13-14, on both sides of the body in order to increase the distance over the surface between adjacent contacts.

Inasmuch as the two contacts in the socket are identical, only one thereof will be described.

40 The twin contact pieces l5--l6 are brought together at their outer ends and crimped around a rigid metal piece I! containing a threaded opening to be engaged by the wire-connecting screw [8. This provides a relatively rigid projection,

45 notwithstanding the fact that the contact pieces are thin and flexible. The inner ends |9--20 are spread apart and projected into the opening II in the base, the end portions 2 l22 being rebent and normally projecting diagonally backward.

50 The disposition and resiliency of the tongues 2 l22 is such that when the contact piece of the plug is projected therebetween they will be spread in place, I provide a rigid member 23, which may be composed of steel or some other material that will provide adequate threads for engagement therewith of ascrew 24. This screw is entered through a side opening 25 in the base and its shank passes through an opening 26 formed in the inner end 19 of one of the contact pieces. Preferably themember 23 has an angular end portion 2'! which extends across the space between the contact pieces at a point near their divergence from their exposed outer ends. This angular end portion of the rigid piece has the double function of reinforcing the contact pieces and also simplifying the matter of assembly to the extent of holding the part in position while the screw is being applied. It will be under.- stood, of course, that while I have shown twin contact pieces, the fastening device will function with equal facility in a single contact piece. The act of seating the screw serves to securely clamp the contact piece against the wall of the opening, and since the twin piece is securely united thereto, both are firmly held in place.

The plug comprises a similar base 28 having a central opening 29 to receive the contact piece 30. 25 This contact piece is in the form of a fiat bar or strip having a Wire-connecting screw 3| at its outer end and provided at its sides, as best shown in Fig. 3, with lateral projections 32. These engage in' notches 33 in the sides of the opening 29 0 and located within the opening when the parts are in assembled relation. This serves to firmly hold and center the piece within the opening; and since the forward end is held in the contraction of the opening 29, the piece is anchored against all except longitudinal movement.

As a means for preventing withdrawal of the piece I provide the screw 34 which is entered through an opening 35 in the base, the screw having threaded engagement with the contact piece and without threaded engagement with the base, either at the entrance side or at the point of engagement with the extension 36 of the opening at the far end of the screw. Thus the contact piece is securely held against movement in all directions but may be removed and replaced with ease simply by retracting the screw.

It will be understood that after assembly the various openings will be filled with wax in the conventional manner.

A construction such as described is adapted for multiplication of contacts by placing them side by side to any extent desired, in which case the base will be integral or unitary. In assemblies of this character where a relatively large number of contacts are provided, it is essential that means should be available for replacing any contact piece that should become damaged, without discarding the entire fixture and in the construction described, this can be accomplished either in the socket or in the plug.

I claim:

1. In combination, a dielectric base having an opening, twin contact pieces joined at their outer ends and at their inner ends spread apart and projected into said opening means for clamping a wire directly to said joined outer ends, said inner ends having rebent free portions providing therebetween a space to receive the complementary contact piece of a plug, a rigid member having a threaded opening, said member being located between one of said inner ends and its rebent portion, and a screw extending through said base and engaging said rigid member and acting to clamp the end portion against the base and hold said contact pieces in place within the base.

2. In combination, a dielectric base having an opening, twin contact pieces joined at their outer ends and at their inner ends spread apart and projected into said opening means for clamping a wire directly to said joined outer ends, said inner ends having rebent free portions providing therebetween a space to receive the complementary cont-act piece of a plug, a rigid member having a threaded opening, said member having a rightangularly bent end portion and being located between one of said inner ends and its rebent portion, said bent end lying within the space between the twin contacts, and a screw extending through said base and engaging said rigid member and acting to clamp the end portion against the base and hold said contact pieces in place within th base.

HOWARD B. JONES. 

